Exploding toy



1l, Tl J' KUEMMERLEIN ErAL- EXPLODING TOY Filed May 11, 1945 INVENTORS J Amma BY 2a/3%# Patented Apr. 11V, 1950 EXBLODING Theodore '.I. Kuemmerlein .and EarLF. Wendt,

,'Mil'wakee,

Application May 1:1, 1945, :Serial No.:'593;29'0

i'laims. f1. This inventionrelates to improvements vin exploding toys.

It is yageneral object of .the present invention to provide a toy construction to `form -a .target for .la projectile, the toy including mechanism for causing an Iexplosion effect to be produced when the target is hit. While the .invention is well :suited for use in -toy battleships, vit has va wide adaptability and may be v.successfully incorporated `in toy tanks or other -land vehicles, and in a variety of .otherminiaturaobj ents.

It is recognized thatattempts have heretofore .been made toproduce .exploding toy boats, .but in .these prior structures conventional mousetrap mechanisms have been utilized t0 create `the explosion. This-is very objectionable as injury to .the hand or nger 0f va child VYmay readily result -fromcareless handling. In addition to-theabove, theseprior toysA have ybeen so constructedthat yonly va single releasing Atarget ,ris provided. Thus, it is not practical for morethan one f childto shoot at theztarget at any one time.

Itisa general Aobjectfof the presentinvention to provide -an exploding -toy whiohincludes improved explosion producing mechanism so `constructed andarrangedas-to beharmless.

A further-*object o f fthe Iinverltionis toprovidea toy;of the class describedwhich'includes an axially shiftable release member having kends-exposed on opposite sides of the toy, said member forming .a `double A target and .being responsive to an impact on either .end to explode the toy. Thus, two children .positioned on .opposite sides of the b oat or other object v may engage in la contest `to see .which one `can vhit the .target first.

A further objectof the invention is ytoprovide anexploding toy having a spring .explosion producing device which is simple .to set, and which requires .little strength on .the partof the child.

.A further objectief the invention is ,to ,provide a device as vabove describedhaving release mechanism which is highly sensitive to an impact on the target proper, requiring but slight :axial movementof the release plunger, but which, nevertheless, will `not be affected by ymisdirected hits on .other portions of the toy article.

A more specific yobject `of Ethe v`invention is -to provide an exploding Vtoy .wherein theexplosion is -producedby the flexing: of arelativelyplight Weight band spring, `the outer end yo f the spring being engageable with a projection-onaslidableplunger and `being releasable in response lto `slight axial movement ofsaidplunger.

.A still ,more specific .object ,of :the .invention ,is '0.0. provide `a .construction as .above ,described ffl winerei-Ii the :release is rendered moreisenstive .by

vproviding for a .rolling motion .of `fthe plunger im -mediatelyafter impact.

other objects .of ithe intention .are to provide .an exploding .tov which is rela 1y simple .aand ,inexpensive :in cons.traction, :which :is simple. t0

assemble.. -Whiclliisineat in appeanancaiandzwhich is otherwise well 'adapted `ifm the Dlllws described.

with the above .and .futher :.obiectsiin :vi-ew, @the vinvention ,consists of v the improved exploglirig .toy, and all its ,parts and cambi-nations.. iasfset forth in the claims, and all .equivalents thereof..

.-In the accom-panying idrawing, lilliistrating several embodiments of theinvention, in which the same referencenumerals.desienatcftheisameparts in all -of-theviews :A

Fig. 1 is a side `elevatioisia1 `view ofqa .fbpat in connor-ating the Ainvention, the idotfandadashlines indicating 'the position-of the gpartsduringan explosion;

Fic. 2 is atop view ,of )the bull` with ,the loose gportionsof l.the .boat removed, part being :preisen away and shown in section;

l Eig- 3 is :a ySectional view maken `on .the iline 3 3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. '4 is a :fragmentary j lorigitudinal vertical sectional view .illustrating fa l.modi cation and ltaken `on the lineA--A-.q'f Fige;

Fig. 5 .isa view looking at `the @bottom ,of the plunger of the modification in,-F,ig..4, gpart=of .the band Vspring .being illustrated fin -setjposition and the lower pin being shown in sectionand in :set position and Fig. 6 is .a view Lsmlarto Eig. .14, 7illustrating another modification.

Referringmore particularly to -ythe drawing, the numeral Il) kdesignates the .hull .of sa `:battlihip. The .battleship is being .shown .and described merely .for purposes fof illustratien, as the rinvention fis ,well Jadapted iflorruse in a variety o f 4o tlfier miniature objects. The top surface Qf the -fhull is formed with acavity .II `which fprms a Ichamber for.thefreleaseandiexplosion preducingg-niechu anism. AAt the vrear endof .the-cavity Ll the -hull may .be .formed with :an angular seat lf2 @to which.

the endvof a .bandsplzing :lf3 is secured las at i4.

Various `other methods rG f rsupperting the ,end ofthespring -maybe utilized ibut themethod 4shown,

eliminates extraparts.

tIntermediate the length Qfithfhullis iaitli-lsverselbore k115. ,The here extends entirely through the width of Ithe hull and intersects :the f cavitv Il, .as illustrated. {Slidableaxially iin ftlfieihore fk5 55 is .a releasing ipllinger I5 zhavingienils. tlfand alii@ which reject from opposite sides of the bore which form oppositely disposed targets.

The plunger must be equipped with suitable means for releasably holding the band spring I3 in the set position of Fig. 3 so that the spring will be released upon axial movement of the plunger. It is desirable to incorporate structure which is highly sensitive so that only a slight axial movementis required. A preferred method of accomplishing this last function is to provide for a slight rolling motion of the plunger immediately after it has been struck. One means for accomplishing this purpose is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 where a clip I9 of metal or other suitable material is secured to the upper side of the plunger by a nail 20. The clip has a spring engaging lug or extension ZI which projects from one side of the plunger, and also an extension v22 which projects from the opposite side. The extension 22 is preferably pointed as is illustrated in Fig. 2, to render the device more sensitive, and is adapted to engage over the head of a brad 23, or similar member, to hold the plunger against rolling motion when it is in set position.

In use of the toy, it is preferred to provide a wooden or metal projectile which can be shot by spring mechanism in a toy submarine or gun. If either of the ends I'I or IB of the release plunger I6 is hit, the plunger will be moved axially a sutlicient distance to push the setting extension 22 off of the head of the brad 23. This will immediately allow the plunger to roll to the dot-anddash line position of Fig. 3 to release the band spring I 3. The latter will ex forceably from the full line position of Fig. 3 to the dot-and-dash line position therein, and will cause any loose parts superimposed on the hull to fly into the air in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

When the toy is a battleship as is illustrated, the loose parts may comprise a relatively flat board 24 forming a deck and cover for the cavity II. The board 24 may support other loose objects, such as the guns 25, smoke stacks 26, and smoke stack support 21.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 6, instead of utilizing the clip I3, one side of the plunger may be notched as at 28 and the band spring I3 may be made slightly longer to engage with the notch. Projecting from the other side of the plunger is a suitable projection 29 which corresponds to the member 22 of the form of invention shown in Fig. 3, and which is cooperable with the brad 23.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the lower side of the plunger is longitudinally grooved as at 3U, and the rear side of 'the plunger is grooved as at 3 I. Angular grooves :32 and 33 intersect the groove 3D and are arranged iin V-shaped formation as illustrated in Fig. 5. Projecting upwardly from the lower side of the plunger bore I is a brad or other suitable 4 member 34.

When the parts are set they are in the po- :sition illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, with the brad head engaging the short portion of the groove .'38, and with the end of the band spring engaged in the rear groove 3I. When one end of the plunger I6 is struck. the plunger will be moved axially a sufficient distance to cause the brad to register with the angular groove 33. This will then allow the plunger to roll and release the end of the band spring I3. When the other end of the plunger is struck, the plunger will move axially a sufiicient distance to cause the brad to register with the other angular groove 32. This will cause a similar rolling movement and a resulting release of the band spring.

It is apparent from the above that in all forms of the invention a blow on either of the ends I1' or I8 of the release plunger or target will cause axial releasing movement. Although only slight movement is required for such release it is, nevertheless, clear that the tension in the cocked spring I3 is suiiicient to maintain the parts firmly in set position, unless the plunger is actually struck. A misdirected hit on other portions of the hull will not cause an explosion.

It is also clear from the above description that all of the parts are extremely simple in construction, and that the assembly Work during manufacture consists merely in driving the nails I4 and 20 and ininserting the brad 23 or 34.

Various changes and modiiications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

1. In an exploding toy having a body portion forming a base and having at least one body part removably positionable in assembled relationship with said base, a releasable band spring engageable upon release with said loose 'body part to forceably displace the latter, a plunger mounted transversely of said base for axial and rolling movement, means on said plunger for engagement with the band spring for releasably holding the latter in set condition when the plunger is in one .position of rotatable adjustment, and means for preventing rolling movement of the plunger when the latter is in one position of axial adjustment and permitting said rolling movement when said plunger is axially displaced from said position, at least one of the ends of said plunger being exposed to an external blow to move the plunger out of said position of axial adjustment and release the spring actuated means.

2. In an exploding toy having a body portion forming a base and having at least one body part removably positionable in assembled relationship with saidbase, a releasable band spring engageable upon release with said loose body part to forceably displace the latter, a plunger mounted transversely of said base for axial and rolling movement, a relatively narrow extension projecting from the plunger for engagement with the spring actuated means when the plunger is in a predetermined position of rotatable and axial adjustment, and means for preventing rolling movement of the plunger when the latter is in one positionv of axial adjustment and permitting said rolling movement when said plunger is axially displaced from said position, at least one of the ends of said plunger being exposed to an external blow to move the plunger out of said position of axial adjustment and release the spring actuated means.

3. In an exploding toy having a body portion forming a base and having at least one body part removably positionable in assembled relationship with said base, releasable spring actuated means engageable upon release with said loose body part to forceably displace the latter, a plunger mounted transversely of said base for axial and rolling movement and having a recess which is engageable with the spring actuated means to releasably hold the latter in set condition when the plunger is in one position of rotatable adjustment, and means for preventing rolling movement of the yplunger when the latter is in one position of axial adjustment, at least one of the ends of said plunger being exposed to an external blow to move the plunger out of said position of axial adjustment and release the spring actuated means.

4. In an exploding toy having a body portion forming a base and having at least one body part removably positionable in assembled relationship with said base, releasable spring actuated means engageable upon release with said loose body part to orceably displace the latter, a plunger mounted transversely of said base for axial and rolling movement. means on said plunger for engagement with the spring actuated means to releasably hold the latter in set condition when the plunger is in one position of rotatable adjustment, roll-preventing means on the plunger, and a pin projecting upwardly from the base and engageable with said roll-preventing means when the plunger is in one position of axial adjustment, at least one of the ends of said plunger being exposed to an external blow to move the plunger out of said position of axial adjustment and release said spring actuated means.

5. In an exploding toy having a body portion forming a base and having at least one body part removably positionable in assembled relationship with said base, releasable spring actuated means engageable upon release with said loose body part to forceably displace the latter, a plunger mounted transversely of said base for axial and rolling movement, means on said plunger for engagement with the spring actuated means to releasably hold the latter in set condition when the plunger is in one position of rotatable adjustment, said plunger having a longitudinal groove portion therein and having a second groove portion extending transversely of the longitudinal groove portion and communicating with the latter, and a pin engageable with said longitudinal groove portion to prevent rolling movement of the plunger, said pin being registerable with the second groove portion in response to axial movement of the plunger to permit rolling movement and release of the spring actuated means.

6. In an exploding toy having a body portion forming a base and having at least one body part removably positionable in assembled relationship with said base, releasable spring actuated means engageable upon release with said loose body part to forceably displace the latter, a plunger mounted transversely of said base for axial and rolling movement and having opposite ends exposed on both sides of the base, means on said plunger for engagement with the spring actuated means to releasably hold the latter in set condition when the plunger is in one po-ition of rotatable adjustment, said plunger having a longitudinal groove portion therein and having other spaced groove portions extending transversely of the first groove portion and communieating with the latter, and a pin engageable with said longitudinal groove portion to prevent rolling movement of the plunger, saidl pin being registerable with one or the other of said spaced groove portions in response to a blow on either end of the plunger to permit rolling movement and release of the spring actuated means.

7. In an exploding toy having a body portion forming a base and having at least one body part removably positionable in assembled relationship with said base, releasable spring actuated means engageable upon release with said loose body part to forceably displace the latter, a plunger mounted transversely of said base for axial and rolling movement and having opposite ends exposed on both sides of the base, means on said plunger for engagement with the spring actuated means to releasably hold the latter in set condition when the plunger is in one position of rotatable adjustment, said plunger having a longitudinal groove portion therein and having a pair of spaced converging grooves extending substantially transversely of the first groove portion and communicating with the latter, and means engageable with said longitudinal groove portion to prevent rolling movement of the plunger, said means being registerable with one or the other of said spaced groove portions in response to a blow on either end of the plunger to permit rolling movement and release of the spring actuated means.

THEODORE J. KUEMMERLEIN. EARL F. WENDT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,300,177 Kohn Apr. 8, 1919 1,859,100 Lewis May 17, 1932 2,052,841 ODonnell Sept. 1, 1936 

